


Sealed with a Kiss

by TellerOfTales



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Captive Prince Secret Santa, Developing Relationship, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Secret Santa, Selkies, capriss2k17
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 10:21:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13098060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TellerOfTales/pseuds/TellerOfTales
Summary: Damen and Laurent were promised to each other as a way to join their two selkie pods in a strong bond. When the day finally comes for them to meet, Damen doesn't show up. Kastor accuses the Veretians of burning his brother's pelt in attempt to hurt their pod. It's up to Nikandros and Laurent to find him and figure out what happened.





	1. Hellos and Goodbyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shigure_Natsu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shigure_Natsu/gifts).



> Here's my gift for ??? (#12)
> 
> The prompt I went with was “arranged marriage+fantasy”. 
> 
> The Veretian selkies look like leopard seals but act like grey seals in that they have pods. The Akielon selkies are based entirely on Australian sea lions.
> 
> Ages in this chapter:  
> N: 5 L: 12 D: 17

The full moon hung low in the sky, its reflection catching in the gentle waves that lapped at the sand. Damen bobbed in the sun-warmed water, content in the calm of the evening. He could feel the currents tugging at him, encouraging him to swim far out to sea and to explore the deepest caves and dense coral beds. Yet the sandy beach bewitched him, its pale sands seeming to glow in the moonlight. It called to him.

He had basked on its warm sands during the day, but only ever as a seal. He rarely shed his sealskin. Only on days he and Nikandros felt like exploring the nearby country-side or town would they willingly venture into human territory.

Heedless of the current calling him back, Damen slowly started to make his way forward, towards the shore. A ways to his right, a dark shape caught his attention. Curious, he altered his course towards it.

The face of the hunched figure was hidden, covered by slim hands and the shadow of a hood.  The water lapping at their folded legs seemed not to bother them.   

Something tugged in Damen’s heart towards the person. Something strong and inescapable. One. Two. Three flaps of his flippers and he was propelled closer to the figure. A desire to see their face compelled him onwards. A fourth flap and he was ashore, the sand chafing his wet belly where it penetrated his slick fur.  He stumbled forward one pace, his arms –human arms- tangling is his shed pelt. Tying it around his waist, he took the final two steps to close the distance between himself and the stranger.

She turned her face to him. Tear tracks shone on her high cheeks in the moonlight. Loose curls of gold hair danced in the wind where the peeked out from beneath her hood.

“Don’t cry.” Damen choked out, his tongue feeling strange in his mouth as the human sounds tumbled out.

The person threw out her hands. “St-stay away from me!”  She made to get up but her legs were caught by her water-logged cloak being tumbled by the waves.

“No, no, no. It’s okay, I’m Damen.” His name sounded strange coming from human lips. He stuck his head forward to great the stranger. They smelled like light -and human things. It was intriguing. “Who are you?”

Still wary, the stranger spoke. “I am Jokaste, daughter of Lord Eudicteric. And who might you be?”

Rolling his shoulders and testing his balance, Damen stood fully upright. He had been in his seal form for so long that the sand and waves seemed so far below him. The wind tugged at the curly mop at the top of his head and the fine hairs that covered his body. A huge grin broke out on his face. It felt good to be in his other form after so long, like a good stretch.

He took a half step forward, then went to take another.

“Stay where you are,” she commanded in a firm voice that halted him in his tracks. “I don’t know who you think you are running about naked on a beach at night, but I have no qualms about using my dagger on you.” Jokaste parted her cloak to draw a slim blade from its sheath and pointed it towards Damen.

In trying to back away, Damen fell flat on his back-side. He could see the slight tug of a smile at the corner of Jokaste’s mouth.

“No need to stab me, fine Lady. I just came ashore and found you here.”

He looked down at his lap. Everything was covered by his reckoning. “And I wouldn’t say I’m naked. My pelt is covering everything.” Sensing an opportunity to get the girl to stay he added, “Though, you could always give me your cloak if it’s such a problem,” in as innocent a voice he could manage.   

Jokaste lowered her blade until it pointed towards the damp sand. Her eyes roved over his body critically. They lingered at the brown fur pelt tied around his hips.

Damen could pinpoint the moment she understood. It was the moment she scrambled back and brought the knife point back towards his chest.

“ _Selkie_ ,” she spat out in an angry hiss.

“Whoa, whoa,” Damen started to try to placate her. “I’m not going to do anything to you. We never do, it’s-”

“Liar,” Jokaste interrupted. “You drown our sailors, steal our fish, and seduce our people—,” her voice trailed off.

She started to back away further, knife still raised. Damen couldn’t stand to let her leave with that thought. He didn’t want his people seen in such a poor light.

“At least we don’t keep humans with us against their will. You steal our pelts and keep us from our families.” He stood back up, his disgruntlement written all over his face and in his crossed arms. “Besides, I’m to be married to another selkie so why would I bother trying to _seduce_ you?” Damen pitched his voice to imitate her higher one.   

Once more, the knife lowered by a fraction. “You are,” her voice was hesitant, “engaged?”  

“I suppose you could say that. It’s been arranged by our families to benefit our pods even though we’ve never met.” A funny feeling stirred in Damen’s heart as he told Jokaste, a not-quite stranger.

He’d never given his eventual marriage much thought before. Their joining would be a symbolic joining of their pods for mutual benefit. His pod would get safe access to cold nutrient-rich north waters and the other pod would get warmer waters for the pupping season. It was their fathers who had hashed out the plan long ago. The last time Damen had brought it up to his father, his concern for never having met his other half was dismissed. Only a vague promise to set something up in the future.

In a voice dripping with bitterness, Jokaste said, “I guess we have that much in common.”

In an attempt to draw her back in, Damen pushed for more information. “Was that why you were out here, crying?” The angry look on her face was enough for him to know the answer.

“Sorry for intruding on your night Jokaste. I’ll just be going then.”

He undid the knot keeping his pelt slung around his hips. A small cough caught his attention so he turned back around to face her.  

Jokaste had turned her head from him to avert her eyes. In the moonlight, Damen’s sharp eyes could pick up the blush that had bloomed across her cheeks.

“Or,” he drew out the word to get her attention. “I could stay and we could just talk. You could even keep the knife out.” Watching her struggle to keep her eyes locked on his was one of the funniest things he had witnessed.

“Very well, Damen. Just,” she unfastened her cloak from about her neck and threw it at him, “put that on for me.”

With a smile he obliged, retying the pelt around his hips and fastened the cloak around his too broad shoulders as best he could.

They spent the whole evening together, side by side. Waves lapped at their toes until the tide changed and started to lower. Damen took that as a sign to leave, promising Jokaste he’d be back the next time she cried seven tears into the ocean. She sent him off with a wave of her hand as he dove into the water.

His pelt rippled and caught along his skin until he had his flippers and tail again instead of hands and feet. With a bark of delight, he leaped out of the water for one final glimpse at his new friend.

***

“I just don’t see the point of joining with a southern pod Auguste. _There are sharks._ ”

Ahead of him, Laurent could see flashes of his brother’s flippers through the wide blades of kelp. Bubbles burst on Laurent’s snout as they trailed behind Auguste, escaping with his barks of laughter.

“You say that as though we don’t have orcas to deal with here. Besides, if you ever are in human form in the winter, you’ll want to be anywhere but here. It’s far too cold for any sane human. I’m pretty sure their brains get frozen as babies and they lose all sense to escape to where it’s warm.”

“Then I’ll never shed my skin,” Laurent insisted. That just got more laughter from his brother.

The two wove in and out through the kelp fronds in an endless game of hide-and-go-chase. Currently, Laurent was doing the chasing trying to nip his brother’s tail so he could go back to hiding in the craggy rocks at the base of the kelp for his brother to find. Last time it had taken absolute _ages_ for Auguste to find him so his brother was now having his revenge by putting on bursts of speed just as Laurent’s jaws were snapping shut around his tail flippers.

On and on they played. Sometimes Laurent would lose Auguste’s trail as he investigated a particularly bright sea-slug or starfish. Other times he would take a break to hunt for crabs when hunger made itself known.

Only when the sun started to touch the horizon and bleed into the sea did Auguste call an end to the fun.

They bobbed at the edge of the kelp, alert for any signs of orcas lurking in the green shadowy waters where light didn’t penetrate. They hadn’t heard any calls all day but it was always better to be safe than sorry. Neither selkie picked up anything so they started to set out back to the shore.

Slowly, the water became murkier and murkier as the ocean floor rose up to meet them, its sand wrinkled and churned by the current. At the sandbar, a light glinted below that caught Laurent’s attention. Diving down he swam around it and investigated it with his whiskers. _Definitely something human-made,_ he realized.

Still trying to figure out what it could be, Laurent asked, “Auguste, what is this?” When his brother did not respond right away, he looked up.

Auguste was staring out into the water beyond the edge of the kelp forest, his whiskers twitching. Looking for himself, Laurent couldn’t see anything of note in the dark water. He broke the surface of the water and scanned the horizon for a fin or something else of note. Nothing.

Sinking back below the water he told his brother, “I didn’t see anything. What’s wrong Auguste?”

A faint [_eeeEEEeee_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LVzxgWIT7I) came out of the dark. Laurent’s fur stood on end all down his spine in fear. 

“Laurent, get back to the pod, _now._ ” Auguste butted his snout along Laurent’s side to convey his urgency. Before either had fully turned around, a light grey blur shot out of the kelp towards them. More of the orcas’ squeals erupted all around them. Dark blurs appeared at the edge of the light and were growing bigger by the second.  

The blur from the kelp forest sharpened itself into a young seal, eyes wide in fear and still with the fluffy white fur of youth on his back. There was no way he would be able to outswim the orcas.

“This way!” Auguste shouted to the pup, drawing his attention towards the brothers.

“ _Swim Laurent,”_ his brother commanded. But he couldn’t, Laurent was frozen. A sharp pain bit his flipper. “I said _go_. I’m going to draw them off so you two can make it to shore.”

Before Laurent could argue further, Auguste zipped off, vocalizing all the way in a bid to attract the orcas to himself.

The pup was already skimming over the sandbar churning up a trail of sand in his wake. Laurent could do nothing but follow.

All the while, the sharp cries of the orcas echoed from all around him.

They rode the waves into to shore where other selkies had gathered, watching.

Laurent stayed in the shallows, squinting out in the distance, cursing his poor vision above the water. Dunking below the water was useless, the crashing waves stirred up the sand too much and blocked his view while the sound of them pounding the beach distorted the orcas’ calls.

Around him, his pod-mates were barking question after question. _What happened? Where’s Auguste_? Laurent ignored them all.

“There!”

All the selkies turned to look a ways down the beach. A dark fin rose from the water cutting fast for shore. A shadow could be seen out in front, just below the water’s surface. _Auguste!_  

Laurent started to wiggle himself closer. The small pebbles of the shore clacked as he sent them skittering into the surf. His flippers dug in and pushed off as fast as they could.

Auguste burst out of the surf on the crest of a wave, his body already undulating to move further up-shore. He couldn’t get far enough away fast enough.

An orca came crashing through the oncoming wave, ready to [beach](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWsN63PRCW8) itself for a meal. Its teeth closed around Auguste’s fins.

All Laurent could do was watch in horror as his brother was dragged out to sea.


	2. Final Ends and New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ages in this chapter:  
> N: 13 L: 20 D: 25

“Pleeease can I shift,” begged Nicaise. “I’m thirteen now, I have the right.”

Laurent sighed as his young companion started to drift towards the shore as he had been every day of their journey thus far. Beside him, Jord just kept swimming.

“You don’t have any human clothes to change into. You’ll just be naked and cold Nicaise,” Laurent informed him. He and Jord had been dealing with the pleading all day but had given no quarter. The end of their journey was so close, surely they could hold out a bit longer.

The clear blue water tasted different this far south, along with the brightly colored fish that called the reefs home. Grudgingly, Laurent could admit those were a sight to behold, even if sharks lurked just beyond their bright colors and warm waters in the deeper waters.   

A thought struck Laurent as he reflected on the corals. “We already wasted enough time this morning so you could explore the reef Nicaise. Now we don’t have time to teach you to shift this evening because we haven’t put in enough distance yet.”    

“Laurent’s right,” Jord chimed in from ahead.

Clearly wanting to push them, Nicaise stopped fighting the current taking him towards the shore. Laurent and Jord stopped to bob in the water, waiting seeing how far he’d go without them. Right up to shore as it turned out.

Laurent popped his head above the water. The sky above had started to darken and he could make out the blurry glow of the moon hung low above the eastern horizon. Jord surfaced beside him.

“We should keep moving Laurent,” he advised. “We must be close by now. We could probably make it to the edge of their territory tonight.”

Laurent considered his options. “But then we would be tired for our welcome party Jord. As much as it pains me to give into all his begging, we should rest for the night.”

Jord grumbled. “We’ll never hear the end of his whining if we give in Laurent.”

“I know,” he replied before slipping back under the water and making his way towards the shore.

He found Nicaise craning his neck to stare in wonder at the sheer cliff face. It rose from the sand some ten meters away and seemed to go up forever. Birds wheeled around its craggy face, calling to their chicks and mates and neighbors.

“I’ll try to find a bit of wood for a fire,” said Jord as he shifted into a human. He tied his pelt around his hips before wandering off down the shore, leaving Laurent alone to deal with Nicaise.

“Now tell me how I shift!” The young selkie demanded as he butted his head against Laurent impatiently.

“Calm down, don’t get your flippers in a twist.” Laurent wiggled his way further onto land, the loose dry sand making it difficult to gain traction. Nicaise followed to lay beside him. 

“I’m not too sure how to explain this anyways. It just sort of…happens. Some selkies get it right away, others take time. Don’t be sad if you can’t on your first try.” As Laurent spoke, his skin slipped away and he crawled out in his human form.

He sat and tied his pelt around his waist, watching the young selkie before him.

Nicaise scrunched up his face in concentration and let out a few huffs. The fur around the edge of his flipper started to ripple and part. Out slipped a hand. Seconds later, the rest of his human form was free from the sealskin. _Blue eyes like mine,_ Laurent noted, _but brown curls._

He rolled over onto his back, eyes closed in happy pride. When he opened them, an amazed sound left his slack-jawed mouth.

“The stars, Laurent! The stars!” Above them, the little pinpricks of light that were nigh indistinguishable through the eyes of a seal stood out sharp and bright. His happiness was contagious and Laurent couldn’t help but flop back on his back to look at them too.

The trip had been a long one without his brother, but there would have been no way Auguste would have been able to make it with his scared flipper. So here he was, with his adopted younger brother and his older brother’s best friend as his companions. They were swimming the length of the coast, all the way down to meet the Akielon pod and his mate-to-be for the first time. As the end of their journey had drawn closer and closer, Laurent’s stomach drew tighter and tighter with nerves.

 _For the good of the pods,_ he would repeat to himself at night. He’d think of Auguste, looking at the same stars back home on their rocky shores. So far, yet always so close within his heart.

Jord’s scuffling footsteps interrupted his thoughts. “Alright Nicaise, now that you have thumbs, it’s time for you to learn how to make a fire.” He dropped an armful of sticks and feathers in front of them.

“I’ll get us dinner,” Laurent said as he slid back into his fur and into the water. Now it was Jord’s turn to deal with instructing Nicaise, alone.

***

Nikandros was getting worried. A messenger had just arrived saying the Veretian selkies had just crossed into their territory and Damen was nowhere to be found. Sure, he and Damen had talked about how meeting a promised-mate for the first time would be awkward, but he hadn’t picked up on Damen planning to flee. His friend wasn’t one to run from his problems.

Beside him stood Kastor, arms crossed over his chest. Nikandros couldn’t read any worry on his calm face. He hoped the brothers just had a dramatic reveal planned or something. That made sense. He could see Damen pulling something like that for his promised-mate.

Other members of their pod were arranged around them in a loose semi-circle. Some were wearing their sealskin, others their human skin. Theomedes stood at its head, his human shoulders hunched with age and covered in a map of ropey white scars. Around his waist hung his scared pelt, a testament to the power and strength he had wielded in his prime.

Shadows moving under the waves caught Nikandros’ attention. Their guests had arrived. Much to his surprise, one even leaped out of the water to bark a quick hello before diving back under.

When they drew up to shore, Nikandros had to keep his snicker to himself watching them move across the land. They looked like fish flopping on land, trying to wriggle their way out of the flotsam and jetsam.

Their grey speckled fur split and out came their human forms. One was tall with hard brown eyes and short brown hair. Then was one with pale blond hair and blue eyes. _May the gods have mercy on us and not let that be Laurent, for Damen’s sake,_ Nikandros prayed. The last selkie to shed his skin was the youngest by far, with blue eyes like the sky at dawn and curly brown hair.

The blond stepped forward. “I’m Laurent.” Nikandros cursed the gods.

“These are my traveling companions, Jord and Nicaise,” he said as he gestured at each in turn.

Kastor stepped forward. “Seize them.”

Nikandros was shocked by the change in the atmosphere as selkies surged around their guests, preventing them from escaping back into the water. The Veretians struggled against their now captors. The struggles and shouts only increased when their pelts were taken from them.

Before he could protest, Theomedes spoke.

“Explain Kastor.” His voice held a streak of controlled anger towards his son. Many of the selkies moved back. Even those holding the Veretians –and thereby loyal to Kastor- looked uncomfortable.

“They are why Damen is not here Father,” Kastor said with an innocent voice. Dramatically, he pointed at them before speaking. “They _burned his pelt.”_ Cries of alarm and anger went up from the crowd. Fear tightened Nikandros’ heart. Over all the noise, the Veretians shouted their denials, calling Kastor a liar.

Turning to his father, Kastor explained.

“I saw Damianos slip away last night and followed him. He swam up the coast where he met our _cherished guests_.” Sarcasm dripped from his voice. “They were cooking on shore and when he came up to welcome them, they knocked him out and burned his sealskin.” He sniffed, blinking away a few tears before continuing in a voice layered with grief. “I was so distraught at the thought of losing my brother that I came back here and told my guard we would capture these vile Veretians and bring justice to Damianos.”    

“Please, Exalted, understand when I say we did no such thing,” Laurent interjected, addressing Theomedes. “I harbor no ill-will to you, your pod, and certainly not your son. I have never even laid eyes on him, I swear.”

Theomedes stroked his beard in thought as he looked Laurent and his companions over. “Laurent, I met your father long ago and judged him to be a fair and honest selkie. Sadly, Damianos is not here to give his side of the story and I must take the word of my son over that of foreigners.”

“Exalted, might I suggest we _find_ Damen and _hear_ his story,” Nikandros said, trying to keep a tenuous grasp on the situation before it spiraled out of control.  

Before his father could respond, Kastor spoke. “We already searched all morning up and down the coast for him. I even sent scouts out to check the reef for his body in case they killed him. All we found was the ash of their fire pit.”

“So Damen is out there, somewhere,” Nikandros insisted. “He could have even slipped into the human town for a drink last night for all we know.” He turned to Theomedes, “I stand by what I said, we aught to search for Damen again _before_ we do anything rash to our _guests_.”

Theomedes looked around at his pod, his son, and their guests.

“I think it wise to find my son before we do anything. Pallas, I want you to look after our guests here during this search. Nikandros, I trust you to find my son. Bring him back to me.”

Shaking off his guards who had grown distracted while following the drama, Laurent stepped forward once more. “Exalted, I would like to accompany Nikandros to find Damianos. That way he can see your son’s reaction to me will be that of meeting me for the first time.”

Jord started to protest, “Laurent, your brother would not approve.”

Nicaise chimed in too, saying, “I don’t want to be left alone with all these smelly old bulls!”

That got a smile out of Theomedes.

“Very well, Laurent, you may go with Nikandros. I’ll see to it that your friends are treated well, even the little prickly one.”

Laurent said his goodbyes as his friends were let to a small cave in the cliffs before returning to Nikandros. The two talked strategy of where to look for the missing selkie. Nikandros explained how he had already searched all the secret caves he and Damen had discovered as children and found nothing. His only lead had been a faint scent trail that headed towards a large fishing port further south.

So they hatched a plan. They would go into town and snoop around. When Laurent had brought up the dilemma of clothes, Nikandros directed them to a spot deep in a cave where human clothes and items had been hidden. He put what they needed in a waxed cloth bag that had long drawstrings, perfect for slipping around a neck while swimming in a sealskin.

“Do you think a human _stole_ his pelt?” Laurent asked as they swam towards where Nikandros had scented his friend early that day.

Nikandros snorted. “Damen may be dense sometimes, but not even he is stupid enough to let a human get ahold of his pelt. Not even when he’s three sheets to the wind off aged griva.”

“I’d rather find him like _that_ than have to rescue him and a stolen pelt,” Laurent fired back as he and Nikandros hauled out onto shore. Casting a look around to make sure there weren’t any humans, both shook off their sealskin.

Laurent exchanged his for a chiton with trepidation. It felt like giving up a part of his very soul when his fingers released his fur into the open bag. Even if he ended up hating his mate-to-be, he didn’t think he could ever wish losing his pelt on Damianos. Nikandros’ fiddling with the fabric across his shoulder jolted him from his introspection.

“You’ll stand out with your hair,” he remarked as he looked Laurent up and down, pursing his lips in thought. Both had on plain chitons and sandals. Yet compared to Nikandros and the others in human form he had seen here, Laurent was pale as the cloth he wore and had hair like the golden sand they stood upon.

“You wouldn’t happen to have something in that sack of yours I could use to cover up a bit more then?”

“Well,” Nikandros hesitated. “I’m not sure what the humans do in Vere, but there are slaves in Akielos. Pretty human slaves. So maybe-” He made a vague gesture with his hand as his voice trailed off.

Laurent let out a put-upon sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you think it will make getting through town easier?”

“I mean, it’s your-”

“Just answer the question. Yes or no.”

“…Yes.”

“Fine. What do I have to do?”

Nikandros rummaged about in his sack before producing a pair of slim gold bracelets and a matching choker.

“If this is some elaborate attempt to humiliate me and hurt my people, you are trying too hard,” Laurent said as he slipped them on with a flat look on his face. _For the good of the pods,_ he reminded himself for what felt like the hundredth time since dawn.

“Well, to make you feel better and to help the image, you can be the one to carry our bag. Just don’t look anyone in the eye or say anything. I know the inns and pubs Damen likes so we should be able to get through this quickly and then get out of here.”

Shouldering the sack with their pelts, Laurent fell into line behind Nikandros as they walked up shore.

A huge blown-out [dune](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54244689e4b0cee499905769/55760cbde4b0219b15344724/5579a3a3e4b0dfea703d5e4b/1434035108365/indiana+dunes.jpg) rose up between them and the town. Laurent was just glad they wouldn’t have to scale any cliffs. His relief didn’t last long as his thighs started to burn trudging up through the sand. Both he and Nikandros were doubled over for breath by the time they made it to the top.   

The town spread out in front of them a short distance away. A narrow trail, not too far off, led towards it. Another, much wider trail led to a long pier lined with fish hawkers and other market stalls. Out at sea, boats sailed up and down the horizon. Everywhere, clouds of screaming gulls floated on the steady sea breeze.

The path they took into town was deserted and they slipped in without attracting attention. Once in the town-proper though, Laurent could feel eyes on him from every angle. It grated on him, he wanted nothing more than to bring his head up high and stare them all down. _Curse Nikandros, cures Akielos, and curse Damianos,_ he repeated to himself.

One by one, they visited all the places in town drinks could be bought. There were a lot of them and Damen seemed to be well-known at all of them. Laurent couldn’t help but wonder at just what kind of person his mate-to-be was that he would get piss drunk the night before an important meeting for the good of his pod. Laurent was almost starting to hope his pelt _was_ stolen. At least then it wouldn’t mean he was promised to a drunk.

Sweat was starting to pool on Laurent’s neck and he could feel his shoulders beginning to blister in the sun. Nikandros was talking to a fruit merchant, asking if he had seen someone fitting Damianos’ description. Laurent’s stomach growled at the sight of ripe fruit. A quite cough sounded from just beside him.

“I think I know the man your Master is looking for,” said the youth. His gold hair matched the cuffs on his wrists, all shining in the sunny afternoon. Laurent’s eyebrows shot up. A slave knowing Damianos? _Just what kind of selkie is he?_  

Turning, Laurent caught Nikandros’ attention and jerked his head to indicate they needed to talk.

“This slave says he knows Damianos,” said Laurent, oblivious to the shocked look on the slave’s face.

Nikandros’ eyes lit up and he grabbed the slave by his shoulders. “Really? That’s great! Take us to him.”

The slave ducked his head and scurried off through the crowds towards the outskirts of town. The two selkies look at each other and shrugged before following him. As the bustle fell away to calm, the houses started to be spaced further apart and larger. Laurent’s eyes roved over it all, for it was also so different than the towns up north.

Here, light grey marble made for cheery, if not opulent, looking homes. Fruit trees and bubbling fountains dotted lawns. The warm breeze smelled of jasmine and orange blossom. It felt serene.

The slave turned down a well-manicured path shaded by a long archway of trees.

As they came upon the house, Laurent could hear loud banging coming from inside. He and Nikandros started to pick up the pace until they were running towards the door.

Nikandros thumped the door, calling out for his friend. Impatient, he started throwing his shoulder against it, trying to open it by force. When it suddenly swung open, he went tumbling in before he could stop his momentum and regain his balance.

“Give me back my fri- Oh, Damen you’re alright!” Nikandros dropped his clenched fists and threw his arms around his surprised looking friend.

“Nik, what are you doing here?” Damen’s eyes caught Laurent’s, then dropped to the collar around his neck. “And why did you bring a human slave?”

Laurent rolled his eyes. Ignoring the shocked gasp of the confused slave watching them all, he removed the cuffs and collar. Before he closed the bag, Laurent made sure to flash a bit of his pelt for Damianos to see.

His eyes grew wide as realization dawned on him. “Are you,” he paused, wanting to be sure in his guess, “Laurent?”

“Yes, and I take it you are Damianos?”

Damen nodded. Once more, his eyes roved over Laurent, lingering on his eyes and hair.

“Excellent. Now, if you’re not hungover, I’d like to get back to _our friends_ before the _deal_ is called off and people get hurt.” Laurent only prayed that Damianos’ brain wasn’t as thick as his muscles and he’d understand what he was trying to imply. There was a human in their midst after all.   

He did, but he was indignant. “I’m not hungover,” he started, “I just misplaced something _very important_ and can’t leave without it. I’ve been looking for _it_ all morning but I’m not sure where it is.”  

The slave took a step forward and spoke, still with his head down. “This slave might be able to help, Exalted Master. What is it that you are looking for?”

“Ah, of course,” Damen started. “Erasmus, you see everything when you’re playing the kithara! People forget he’s there and just let slip all sorts of secrets,” he explained to Nikandros and Laurent.

“Sometime last night, did you or any of the other servants see Jokaste hide a brown pelt? I need it so I can leave because…” he trailed off trying to find a reasonable excuse.

“Because he was supposed to bring it to a trade that won’t happen if we don’t have that pelt,” Laurent added smoothly without looking at Damen.

Erasmus seemed to be thinking for a moment before answering. “This slave did hear talk of the Exalted Mistress being in the indoor gardens early this morning.” He paused and took a breath before looking up at them through watery eyes, “But please, oh please, don’t tell anyone who you heard that from.”

Damen wiped his thumb across Erasmus’ cheek gently to catch his tears before they fell. In a soft voice, he spoke. “I won’t tell a soul so long as you don’t, I promise. Now, run along and find Kallias, that’s an order.” The corners of Erasmus’ lips turned up and his cheeks rouged as he sniffled out a thanks and left.

“Alright, the garden is this way,” Damen said, leading them off down a long hall.

“ _What happened,_ ” Nikandros asked. “And whose house are we in? What is going on Damen?”

Damen ran a hand through his hair, avoiding the question.

He hadn’t told a soul about Jokaste, knowing they wouldn’t understand and would forbid him from seeing her ever again. The main problem was that she was a human. There was also the matter of being promised to someone for the betterment of his pod. So they had seen each other, in secret, for the past eight years, never thinking too hard on what feelings they might share for the other.

As they grew, so did his feeling towards her. He felt her sadness when she was married and her relief when the man died in a hunting accident. Both of them longed to have a life together but knew it would be impossible. Yet they couldn’t stay away, no matter how hard they tried.

In one night all that changed. She had shattered his trust so completely by stealing his pelt. His heart had broken when he awoke to find it wasn’t under his pillow. He had felt so adrift in the world in that moment and had been swallowed by rage. Seeing his best friend, and promised-mate had helped to bring him back to himself. _They deserve the truth,_ a voice in his head whispered.

“We’re in the house of a woman named Jokaste. I met her years ago on the beach and we’ve been friends ever since. I never thought she’d steal my pelt but here we are, my pelt is missing the day the Veretians show up and Jokaste is nowhere to be found.”

“Oh my gods,” said Nikandros in disbelief before launching into a lecture of why cohorting with humans was bad, even the pretty ones. Laurent thought about coming to Damen’s rescue again but decided to say out of the friends bickering.  

Before Nikandros could get on a roll, they came upon the indoor garden. Really it was more of a courtyard designed to be like a garden in Laurent’s opinion. Rose trellises wound their way up supporting columns, their flowers perfuming the air. A reclining bench was positioned off in one corner, shaded by a trained almond tree. Somewhere, Laurent could hear the gurgle of running water.

“Split up you two, we’ll cover more ground,” Laurent said as he strode towards the bench.

There was nothing under or around it. Nor was there something in the trunk of the tree or its branches. Moving on, Laurent stepped into the hall that did a loop around the garden. Recessed in a corner, he found a worn trunk covered in dark stains from years of use. Its lock was shiny and new looking.

“Over here!” Laurent gave the lock a quick tug but it held fast. “I think she hid it in here with the gardening tools. I’m not sure how to get the lock off though and we don’t have time to search for a key.”

“I’ll be right back,” Nikandros said as he jogged back into the garden. He came back with a good sized rock and a lit torch. “Hold this,” he said as he handed the torch to Damen.

Nikandros knelt in front of the chest and smashed the rock against the lock. All three of them winced at the loud clang and froze. When no one came, Nikandros went back to hitting around it, splintering the wood.

“Torch,” he said and stuck out his open hand. When he had it, he thrust its burning end against the dry, splintered wood. It started to smoke, then burn slowly. Carefully, Nikandros kept at it with the rock and fire until the wood was loose enough he could rip the chest open.

There, right on top, lay Damen’s pelt. He dove for it, ecstatic to have half of himself back.

“Now let’s get out of here,” said Laurent, already heading back the way they came. His two new companions fell in line behind him and the three made their way out of the house, ignoring the confused servants they passed.

Laurent pulled up short at the gate. A tall woman stood blocking his path.

“Where do you think you’re going Damianos?” Her eyes widened when they saw the pelt dangling from his hand. “And _how_ did you get that?” Rage filled behind her eyes.

“We do _not_ have time for this,” muttered Nikandros as he strode past Laurent and into Jokaste’s personal space. Laurent had to give the women credit, she didn’t back up, only looked up to glare at him eye-to-eye.

“Damen here is coming back home with us –where you’ll _never_ see him again.”

The three started to file out past the sputtering Jokaste. Laurent and Nikandros didn’t spare the woman a passing glance. Damen hung his head to hide his tear-filled eyes.

“If-if-if he leaves, Kastor will _kill_ me!”

That pulled everyone up short.

“What do you mean,” Damen asked hesitantly. He had never spoken of his family to her in order to protect them. How was it Jokaste that could know his brother’s name?

She flung herself on his chest and clutched his chiton. Tears were in her eyes.

“I know too much, about you, the selkies, everything Damen. I wanted us to be together forever and Kastor told me there was a way. Stealing your pelt.” One of her hands slid down his arm to finger the soft fur of his pelt. Damen jerked away in horror.

“But _why_ would he do that? Why would my own _brother_ want my pelt stolen?”

Laurent could connect the dots. He could see Nikandros connecting them too. Damen was too blinded by his emotions, pure as they were to see the picture being made. He could feel love and trust and happiness, but his heart didn’t know jealousy and bitterness.

“Power Damen, Kastor wants power,” Nikandros said.

Now it was Laurent’s turn to interrupt. “What I’m curious to know is how you and he met.”

Jokaste answered without hesitation. “I was waiting for Damen one evening when a seal came out. I thought it was him at first until he shifted and it wasn’t. It was Kastor. He told me he was Damen’s brother and how Damen had confessed he wanted to be with me but didn’t know how because I’m a human. When I told Kastor I felt the same, he told me that we could be together if I took his pelt. He explained how Damen would stay in love with me for the rest of our days if I did that, just like in the stories.”

During her explanation, Laurent watched her face carefully, looking for any signs she was lying. She gave away nothing. From what he could read in her voice and face, she was telling the truth.

“Kastor lied to you. Selkies don’t love their captors. We despise them and will spend every waking moment trying to find our pelt so we can leave them and get back to our family.” Laurent had no pity for her as her face fell even more. She had committed the worst crime in his mind, as Kastor’s proxy.

Laurent took Damen’s hand and pulled him away from Jokaste. “Let’s go. We have a union to make and a traitor to expose.”

The road back to the beach was a long one. Jokaste’s sobs echoed in Damen’s ears and heart the whole way back. He swore he could hear them even over the crashing surf. The only balm on his heart had been Laurent’s hand guiding him the whole way and slipping on his pelt to dive into the water.

Dread started to fill him as they drew closer and closer to the caves of his pod. He was going to have to confront his brother about telling a human to steal his pelt. The very idea of such an act was revolting to Damen.

All too soon they were back. As good as it was to be home, it felt tainted.

Damen didn’t bother to slip off his sealskin when he waddled out of the surf. Instead, he charged as fast as he could towards Kastor’s upright form.

A surprised, “You!” was all Kastor had time to say. With his massive weight advantage, Damen bowled Kastor over and pinned him in the sand.

Immediately, a roar went up from the crowd and his father, demanding to know what was going on. Nikandros and Laurent sprinted up the beach calling out to Damen to explain before he did something he’d regret.

Their words did not snap him out of his rage and he continued to bellow his anger in Kastor’s face.

“Damianos,” roared Theomedes, “Stop acting like a dumb beast and explain yourself.”

That got Damen’s attention. His shuddered as he slipped off his sealskin. Before Kastor could start to rise, Damen was back to pinning him down.

From between gritted teeth, Damen recounted the betrayal that had been perpetrated by his own brother. The anger and disgust in the crowd was palpable by the time he was done.

Laurent could see Jord eyeing Kastor and his followers warily, shielding Nicaise behind him. Nicaise seemed absolutely enraptured by the drama unfolding before him and was peeking out from behind Jord with wide eyes.  

In an even voice, Theomedes spoke. “Kastor, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Kastor licked his lips and a hush fell over the crowd. He spit in Damen’s face and rolled out from under him when he went to wipe it away.

“What’s there to say Father? You already believe him. You’ve _always_ liked him more and I just wanted that! I was here first!” Kastor was shouting across the open sand at his father, spittle flying from his mouth. “So I figured, hey, why not let Damen be in _love_ with a _human_ ,” he emphasized for the crowd, as though that crime was worse than his own.

“You knew I would hate her for stealing my pelt,” Damen accused in a broken voice from where Nikandros held him back.

“You would have stopped caring about that by the time you got around to hate-fucking her for the second time because you’re just _sooo loving_.” Sickly sweet sarcasm dripped off his last words.

“That’s enough Kastor,” Theomedes said, his lip curled in disgust. “Pallas, Nikandros, seize him,” he gestured at the two men then Kastor who was standing with a calculating look on his face.

Pallas and Nikandros shoved him down to kneel, a hand on each shoulder.

Slowly, Theomedes shuffled over to his eldest son. Defiance and bitter hatred were written all over Kastor’s face.

“I always loved you Kastor, first-born. It is beyond me that you would do such a thing -and to your own brother no less. You say you acted to give him love, but in doing so you showed you lacked any towards him. You do not love your people, you almost ruined a joining of pods today. And you showed me you do not love me, for how could you when you would ruin all I love.” While his voice was rough, it never cracked or wavered. Tears never spilled from his eyes.

He moved past Kastor to where his pelt lay. Gently, he picked it up and stroked the fur.

“Father!” Kastor started to shout and wriggle, trying to see what his father was doing behind him.

“Please, Father don’t do it! I’m sorry, I’m so, so, so sorry. Plea-” Kastor’s begging broke off as his father started to tear his pelt in two with his hands and teeth.

The only sound was a broken noise coming from Kastor and wind whistling across the mouths of the caves.

Two tatters of sealskin fell from Theomedes’ hands. He looked up to address the crowd. “My son, Kastor, is dead.” A single tear trickled down his sun-wrinkled face before disappearing into his white beard. Pallas and Nikandros fell back to stand by a shocked Damen.

Laurent went to stand by Jord and Nicaise. For once, the young boy knew to hold his tongue.

The selkies parted ranks to let the hollow figure pass by. Some looked away in fear at the half-being. The unmade-being. The living-but-dead being.

“Now, Damianos, I believe you have met Laurent, your promised-mate,” said Theomedes in a flat voice.

Damen couldn’t speak, he only nodded as he stepped forward. He held out his hand to Laurent who stepped forward to take it.

“Laurent, you helped return my son to me. I could ask for no better proof of your dedication to my people and your desire to see this alliance prosper. You both have my blessing. May your relationship serve as an example that they are possible between our pods as we mingle more and more in times to come.”

Gently, Laurent took Damen’s hand and led them north, until they were out of sight of the pod.

Not wanting to rush him, Laurent didn’t say anything and simply sat down on his pelt. Damen sat next to him and still the two did not talk.

For a time, Laurent played with the sand. He let it slither out of his hand or would bury his feet in it. Damen just stared out at the ocean, thinking.

The stars were out by the time Laurent could ignore the growling of his stomach no longer. He stood up and shook out his pelt. Damen shook his head and spit out gritty sand from where the wind had blown it in his face.

“Watch where you shake out your pelt. First rule of living in Akielos.”

Laurent snorted and started to walk down towards the surf with Damen trailing after him.

Both slipped on their sealskins and dove into the water.

“This way,” Damen barked and gestured with his snout. Now it was Laurent’s turn to follow.

The rest of the evening was spent hunting and playing in the bright coral by the starlight that pierced the clear water.

When the two had spent all their energy, they headed back to shore ready to sleep.

Both shed their sealskins and lay down on them, facing each other.

“Hi,” said Damen.

“Hello,” replied Laurent.

“I don’t think we were ever properly introduced this afternoon. My name is Damianos. But my friends just call me Damen.”

Damen reached down to draw one of Laurent’s hands to his lips to brush a feather-light kiss over his knuckles. Laurent raised an eyebrow.

“Nice to meet you Damen. My name is Laurent. Just Laurent, despite what Nicaise might try to tell you. He’s the short prickly one.”

Damen let out the first laugh Laurent had heard from him. It was a rich, warm, deep sound. He couldn’t wait to hear more of it in the time to come.

**Author's Note:**

> [ My tumblr ](http://www.the-teller-of-tales.tumblr.com)


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